1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an electrolyte membrane and an electrode for a fuel cell, and a fuel cell including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to the types of an electrolyte and fuel used, fuel cells can be classified as polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (“PEMFC”s), direct methanol fuel cells (“DMFC”s), phosphoric acid fuel cells (“PAFC”s), molten carbonate fuel cells (“MCFC”s), or solid oxide fuel cells (“SOFC”s).
SOFCs are known to be suitable for use in decentralized power supplies, due to their high electrical efficiency and operability with a variety of fuels, including lower purity gaseous fuels. However, to sustain operation at high temperatures, SOFCs have been formed of high-priced materials which are durable in high-temperature environments. Also, it is not easy to rapidly switch an SOFC from ON to OFF and vice versa if a high temperature is used. In this sense, current SOFCs are not suitable for various applications, such as portable or vehicular power sources. Therefore, research to provide an SOFC which can operate at lower temperatures is being actively conducted.
PEMFCs operating at 100° C. or higher temperatures in non-humidified conditions, unlike those operable at low temperatures, do not need a humidifier, and are known to be convenient in terms of water management, and can be highly reliable in terms of system operation. Furthermore, such PEMFCs may become more resistant to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning that may occur at a fuel electrode as they operate at high temperatures, and thus, a simplified reformer may be used. These advantages mean that PEMFCs are increasingly drawing attention for use in such high-temperature, non-humidifying systems.
Along with the current trends for lowering the operation temperature of SOFCs and increasing the operation temperature of PEMFCs as described above, fuel cells operable in a moderate temperature range are drawing more attention.
However, electrolyte membranes developed so far do not have a satisfactory conductivity in the above temperature ranges, at low-humidity, or in unhumidified conditions, and thus, there is still a demand for improvement.